Variable data includes stationary content such as a cover or a main text and variable content that varies depending on a record. The record is individual data of an individual person. Information of the records is contained in a database.
When the variable data is printed, the stationary content and the “variable content depending on the record” that is obtained from the database are combined and the obtained result is printed. Additionally, when the variable data is printed, in order to reduce costs such as paper fee and maintenance fee, imposition of data of a plurality of pages on a sheet is performed. For example, a plurality of postcard-size prints or tickets are printed on an A3-size sheet, and then the printed product is cut out.
Physical imposition data that is used for bookbinding printing includes all information that is necessary in the imposition of the document to be printed. Conventionally, in generating physical imposition data using POD (print on demand) printing, how to perform the imposition of each page of a document on a sheet is designated by a user. In other words, conventionally, the imposition information designated by the user is reflected in the physical imposition data. The physical imposition data, which is generated by application software, is transmitted to a printing apparatus and printed (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-99723).
A format called PDF (Portable Document Format) is known as a format for print data. PDF data according to variable-data standard includes physical imposition data. The physical imposition data includes stationary content and variable content that varies according to each record. The stationary content and the variable content are arranged in order.
Printing of a specific record is essential in printing only the variable data. This is because a great demand exists for, for example, test printing or additional printing of a specific record. There is also a demand to acquire a printed record of a branch office from among data generated by a head office. Thus, the above-described PDF data according to variable-data standard includes information of a first page of each record.